The Chinese government's official website has recently shared an article that formally designates the Chinese term for the fundamental measurement unit in large-scale models, 'Token,' as 'Ci Yuan' (meaning 'word unit'). Presently, the artificial intelligence sector in China witnesses a staggering daily average of over 140 trillion 'Ci Yuan' calls. This official naming resolves the long-standing debate over the appropriate Chinese translation for 'Token' and marks a significant step towards standardizing the technical terminology for large models.

Previously, the industry had seen various naming suggestions, including 'Mo Yuan' (model unit) and 'Zhi Yuan' (intelligence unit). However, the choice of 'Ci Yuan' as the official term is more in line with the intrinsic technical rationale. The standardization of such terminology is instrumental in minimizing communication barriers within the industry, thereby offering robust support for the statistical analysis, quantification, and policy-making processes related to AI infrastructure.